Never Knew Love Like This Before Read online

  She came to vaguely, ambulance siren, fire trucks, and police cruisers swelled upon her and the surrounding area; she felt achy and groggy, and trying to move her head was difficult.

  “Ouch!” she sluggishly whispered through the pained movements of her mouth. She tried to move and realized she couldn’t. Tears of frustration and pain welled into her eyes causing her to flutter her eyelids. She couldn’t move her arms as they were tied into restraints and the damage around her caused a new steady flow of anguish to stain her face.

  “Whoa there little lady,” one firefighter told her as he held her head and steadied her. He motioned to one of the paramedics to assist him. The woman moved swiftly, putting a brace on Morgan’s neck that extended to her spine.

  “Oh this doesn’t look too good,” the firefighter said to the paramedic, “look.” Alarms went off in Morgan’s head as she tried to read their lips and to understand what they were saying. She couldn’t completely comprehend their speech but she could see the panic in their faces as they tried to remain stone-faced and calm.

  The paramedic woman walked over to another man and told him that she had to be airlifted back to New Jersey’s closest hospital after noticing that she had broken her legs and was losing consciousness fast.

  By the time they came back and prepared her for the arriving medical chopper, Morgan had passed out.

  The hospital attendants answered Morgan’s phone, deciphering next of kin and family who could be informed of Morgan’s situation. Alexandra shrieked when the doctor told her where Morgan was. When Morgan didn’t call her to let her know she had arrived safely in Chicago, she knew something was wrong. Alexandra asked the doctors not to call Morgan’s parents because she was on her way there for her sister who was in the hospital and she didn’t think they could handle both situations at the same time. So she got in her car and drove as fast and safely as she could to Barnett Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey.

  Alexandra couldn’t believe what she saw when she entered the hospital room. Her legs gave way and she began to cry. The smell of hospital disinfectants raided her nose and burnt her eyes. The sterility of the room and the sight of her friend centered amongst all the machines there to aid her back to health took her off guard. She was grateful that Morgan was still asleep so as to not see her react this way to the sight of her. As she moved closer to her friend she fought back tears as the reality of the tragedy bombarded her senses. The ticking of the machines felt like a time bomb about to go off, the scent of antiseptics nauseated her and tears flowed freely this time without restraints.

  Her heart raced as if to jump from her chest as she gazed upon Morgan’s once flawless features that were now riddled with broken glass wounds all across her forehead, cheeks, and neck. Both of her legs were in casts, hung from the ceiling and supported by strong ropes. Her hands were also broken and held in casts at her side. Her body was wrapped with body casts as if she was broken from the neck down and her head bandaged up revealing that her beautiful hair was cut away from her head leaving her almost bald. Alexandra couldn’t help the well of tears that flowed like rain down her cheeks. She sat down as not to loose her footing as she began to feel faint. She sat down until her tears dried into a continuous stream of hiccups, and her heaving lulled her into a fitful sleep as she resolved not to leave her friend’s bedside.

  It was midnight the next day when Morgan moaned and let out a sigh of deep pain as she tried to move. She tried to open her eyes but couldn’t, then she tried to adjust her footing and found them locked in place. Straining to open her eyes into the semi-lit room, her eyes began gradually scanning her environment. As she realized she couldn’t move her head, a renewed fear grabbed her and horror riddled her. She began to cry.

  The nurses, sensing movement through her monitors, rushed into Morgan’s room to assess her lucidness, waking Alexandra in their hasty actions to attend to her.

  “What’s wrong, what’s going on?” Alexandra asked, rubbing her eyes and quickly pulling herself to a state of alertness.

  “Seems your friend is awake. Would you mind just stepping outside briefly and then we will call you back in once we have checked her out.” The attending doctor looked at Alexandra understandingly, empathy filling his eyes and she knew he meant her well.

  “Of course, but you will call me in as soon as you are done?” Alexandra pleaded, her voice brimming with excitement.

  “Absolutely,” the doctor told her as he returned to Morgan’s side and Alexandra tentatively saw her way to the waiting area outside of her friend’s hospital room. As she sat down she heard the strange ring tone in her purse and jumped at its abruptness. She had been on pins and needles and everything seemed to surprise her. The phone stopped ringing and she sat down, returning her focus once again to the closed hospital room wondering what was happening inside.

  Suddenly the incessant ringing resumed, almost causing her heart to jump from her chest. Irritably she decided to answer; she was on pins and needles about what was going on inside of Morgan’s room and felt rudely interrupted, but she knew she wasn’t the only one who loved her friend and she had a responsibility to answer and inform others of the dilemma that Morgan now faced.

  “Hello?” The person on the other end of the phone seemed hesitant to respond then it occurred to her that they wouldn’t be expecting anyone other than Morgan to answer. “Hello, this is Morgan’s phone, who is this?” she answered again.

  “Hey, yeah. This is Troy an’ I’m jus trying to reach Morgan,” he told her tentatively.

  “Troy, oh. How are you?” Alexandra asked, trying to decide if she should include him in on what was happening.

  “Am doing fine baby love. But if yu don’t mine mi askin’, can I speak to Morgan please?”

  “Actually Troy, she is a bit indisposed at the moment. She is going to have to call you back,” Alexandra told him, still not sure of how to handle this scenario and waiting for the right opportunity that would help her to decide what was best and the right thing to do.

  “Who’s dis?”

  “I’m a good friend of hers. My name is Alexandra.”

  “Oh Alex, how yu doing baby girl? I hear so much ’bout yu.”

  “Re: Alex, what do you mean?” Curiosity piqued Alexandra’s interest and she wanted to know exactly what bad boy Troy knew about her, or if he knew as much of her as she knew about him.

  “Naw man, nuttin’ lik dat. Every ting I ever hear ’bout you was good sistrin.” He chuckled and the lull of his voice and the deep sensuality that exuded over the phone told her why Morgan liked him so much. His ethnic vernacular added a sexy mix to the equation while his playful disposition heated things up and strung her along, made her want to hear him keep talking.

  “Okay, I guess that’s a good thing then.” She smiled.

  “Very good ting.” He chuckled again slowly and then the phone got quiet. “So Alex. Yu don’t mine if I call yu Alex do yu?” he asked before continuing.

  “No not at all. What can I help you with?”

  “I was jus’ wondering why yu answering mi girl’s phone. Usually if she not available it jus’ go straight to voice mail,” he pondered.

  “Yeah you see, that’s the problem. Morgan . . . ah. See, she is not well right now.” She tried to gauge her words as not to cause any unnecessary panic, but the moment she opened her mouth she knew she was doing a horrible job of it.

  “I see” was all Troy said, but before she could tell him she would pass his message on he continued. “So what’s wrong with mi girl? She need me to bring har some ting to warm har up?”

  “Oh no, that’s quite okay. See Troy, I wasn’t sure if I should say anything but Morgan was in a bad car accident and—”

  “Yu was really goin’ to keep a ting lik’ dat from mi woman? Yu no see some ting lik dat important?” She could hear the angry annoyance in his voice right below his cool facade.

  “Yes I guess I do, but I was informed to strictly disclose the details to family and very
close friends, and well, I don’t exactly know you.” She held her ground firmly.

  “Aaright, point taken. So tell me where mi girl at and I will be there as fast as di next plane, train or automobile can carry me.” She could see why Morgan liked him. He was a man of action, he didn’t sit on things and wait for something to propel it. It was absolutely sexy.

  “She was airlifted to Paterson, New Jersey, Barnett Hospital,” she told him, the words leaving her lips quickly as she saw the nurses begin to leave Morgan’s room. She didn’t hear what else Troy said as she quickly hung up the phone and was on her feet and at the hospital room door.

  “Yes, its okay, you may go in,” the doctor told her as she saw him exit and Alexandra made a beeline toward him. He didn’t need to hear her question to know what she wanted. She just smiled and walked back into her friend’s room, which was now well-lighted. In the light she looked worse. Her heart almost stopped as renewed tears welled in her eyes. She couldn’t help herself as Morgan stared at her knowingly.

  The Value of a MAN

  The next day Troy barged into the hospital demanding Morgan’s whereabouts and though he seemed rude, though calm, the attendant knew not to irritate him. He strutted into Morgan’s room to find Bruce and half of his precinct comrades gathered around Morgan. He was taken aback by the group of five uniformed New York City police officers who had packed Morgan’s room almost to capacity. He had to lower his defenses and asked politely to be allowed room to maneuver in closer to the patient’s bed and take a look at her. Troy and Morgan worked the opposite side of the law, and Troy’s appearance, though street and thug, was very GQ and stylish. Bruce, feeling a bit defensive and a little embarrassed that another man came to see his woman, stepped up, causing silence to deafen the room and all eyes on Troy.

  “Excuse me, who are you?” Troy was not about to back down as he felt he had a right to be there, and the hardened look on his face brought Alexandra to her feet in an attempt to mollify the situation.

  “Bruce, this is Troy, a friend of Morgan’s. Troy, this is Bruce, another friend of Morgan’s.” Her voice was light and playful in the introductions but she wasn’t prepared for them having already known of or heard of each other.

  They both stopped and looked at Morgan who still struggled to talk or smile and the distress on her face, though bruised, was very obvious.

  “Morgan, this is the thug you have issues with?” he asked, not wanting to let on to his buddies that she was actually juggling, choosing between the two men. Bruce did not feel that Troy was his equal or even of the same caliber. His ego was hurt as he looked him up and down causing his platoon members to draw back into a defensive stance in order to act on Bruce’s word.

  “Bruce, stop,” was all Morgan could muster but the anger on the men’s faces showed that they couldn’t hear her. Troy set his face hard and stood cool and wasn’t about to back down, so he held his ground and walked over to Morgan’s side.

  “Baby guirl, wha’ you gone do to yu self baby?” he whispered close to her ears, forcing the audience in the room to strain in an attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation. “Yu don’t look good yu no.” He smiled sexily at her and used his fingers to brush a strand of loose hair from her face. He surveyed that they had cut most of it off and he fought to remain strong wrestling with his emotions in the face of his opponents. He kissed her eyelids, her forehead, her cheeks, and then her lips, gently lingering just long enough to annoy his adversary, and then backed away. Bruce bristled at his audaciousness, but there was nothing he could do.

  Morgan held on to Troy’s hand with her right fingers, which was the only part of her hands that were not cast. He slid his fingers to intertwine with hers and used his thumb to caress the palm of her hand. His need to hold her and kiss her and break down was very strong but he knew he had to face off in front of Bruce. He stared at her, dauntingly trying hard to use telepathy to express to her what he felt. Morgan didn’t have to hear his words; she saw it in his eyes, he was scared. She didn’t look like the woman he courted or pursued. She looked horribly banged up and probably no longer fit the mold of the type of woman he needed, or was used to having hanging from his arms. She squeezed the tears from the corners of her eyes and they rolled down her cheeks. She attempted and smiled and nodded to him, signaling that it was okay. He didn’t have to hold on to her, she wasn’t going to hold him to a promise. He was released. He bent over again this time tentatively, and he brushed his lips against hers; a tear discreetly left his eyes and landed on her face, blending with her own tears.

  He stood, looked around the room and walked out. Alexandra couldn’t help herself as tears created tracks on her face, boring through her makeup and running her mascara. Bruce swallowed hard as his comrades stared at him with the obvious question in their eyes. He choked up as he went and sat next to Morgan on the left side of her bed and smiled cheerfully at her.

  “You know I am always going to be here for you, right pumkin?” He took her left hand and rested it on his lap. Leaning into her he winked and caused a smile to pull across her face. “Looks like it’s just you and me now,” he whispered privately. “Let me know what you need and don’t hesitate to call me even if it means I have to camp out in front of your hospital room until you feel better.” He waited until she acknowledged that she had heard him, and was grateful his precinct coworkers were otherwise engaged in conversation, hitting on Alexandra and having idle chitchat while he tried to schmooze Morgan.

  “Thank you, Bruce,” Morgan whispered in his ears. He turned and rested his cheek on her forehead and sighed heavily.

  “Don’t you know how badly I want to love you? I am ready, Morgan, but you haven’t been. It’s okay, though, I will wait for you,” he told her near tears and she shook her head slightly up and down signaling that she heard him with his cheek still gently resting upon her head. He smiled and sat upright looking at her. “You are still the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.” He blew her a kiss and stood to go.

  “Okay boys; let’s head back to the city. An officer’s work is never done,” he joked, sending his comrades into a fit of laughter. He decided to walk out ahead of the men to get a fresh breath of air before he had to deal with the onslaught of questions he knew was coming. And as he exited the door he heard them all one by one giving their last good-byes to Morgan and hugging Alexandra.

  He walked down the hallway in search of a cup of hospital vending machine coffee when he ran right into Troy.

  “What are you still doing here?” Bruce’s hand went and rested on his nightstick and the other on his still holstered gun. His heart began racing and all the hatred he felt for this man in the moment that he had pressed his lips to Morgan’s came rushing to the very surface of his skin, sending energy like wildfire across his body, making the hairs on his neck and hands stand up.

  “Unless yu a one bline man, ar stupid, yu can see I bringing flowars to di pretty lady.” Troy stood a foot below Bruce but was wider in the shoulders, and more muscularly built in his chest and arms. He had thick thighs from running and excessive working out. Bruce stood there looking from Troy to the large bouquet of wildflower assortment in his right hand and a huge two-foot white teddy bear with a heart that said I LOVE YOU in his left hand. Suddenly not only was he jealous, he felt stupid that he didn’t think of it first. How could he visit Morgan in the hospital and not think to bring her flowers.

  Bruce turned and looked behind him at the approaching officers engaged in laughter and conversation. They came upon the two men standing off and they knew it wasn’t a good sign. They walked up to Bruce and pulled him to the side.

  “Com’on man, this is not worth it,” Officer Mike told him.

  “Yeah, if he wants the chick so badly let him have her,” Cabe whispered. “Besides, she ain’t such a catch no more, those scars are gonna last for life, man.” The guys pulled him away as he made one last posturing to save his pride and then allowed the men to pull him toward the elevator. Al
exandra was walking up behind them in that moment and overheard what the men had said. Hurt stung at her heart as she made eye contact with Troy, who shook his head and walked up to her.

  “Some tings are betta off keeping to yuself hear?” He looked her in the eyes till he was sure she understood his meaning. He didn’t have to tell her. There was no way she would tell Morgan what Bruce’s friends had said. And the worse part was not that they had said it, it was that he hadn’t responded, defended or said anything back to deflect the statement.

  Alexandra turned and followed Troy back to Morgan’s room. Morgan, who was fatigued from the visitors and the emotional stress from the confrontation of two men she was choosing between, had begun falling asleep when Troy came back.

  “Morgan.” He knelt beside her. “I don’t want to cause yu no stress, no worries, seen. So I man feel I should jus’ step to di side and let di betta man win.” Morgan wanted to laugh though she knew what he was saying was sincere. The only thing was that his motives weren’t. He just didn’t want to worry about taking care of a woman with scars and bruises. A woman who won’t be such a looker to show off to his other boys and make bets on whose number-one dime piece looked better. There was a time he would have won that bet hands down. Troy was not the kind of man to take second place even on something so petty. But what else could she have expected from a man who lived every day for the moment and every moment on the line? She sighed heavily as despair took ahold of her. Things couldn’t get any worse.